dismal

[diz-muhl] / ˈdɪz məl /

ADJECTIVE

bleak, dreary, gloomy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

depressing dim discouraging disheartening dull ghastly horrible horrid miserable murky sad

WEAK

afflictive black boring cheerless cloudy dark depressed desolate despondent dingy disagreeable dispiriting doleful dolorous forlorn frowning funereal gruesome hopeless in the pits inauspicious joyless lonesome lowering lugubrious melancholy monotonous morbid oppressive overcast shadowy somber sorrowful tedious tenebrous troublesome unfortunate unhappy

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright cheerful clear encouraging favorable happy intelligent joyful light luminous pleasant smart

WEAK

glad hopeful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

England have ended Ollie Robinson's two-year international exile and called up uncapped trio Emilio Gay, James Rew and Sonny Baker for the first Test since the dismal Ashes campaign.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

But for some in Labour the grating thing about their dismal position now is it's different to losing to the Conservatives - that feeling is familiar, it's in their DNA.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

Not all past studies of AI’s macroeconomic forecasting record have painted such a dismal picture.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

The dismal hockey Rangers are grateful for the reprieve.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

The residential campus, which took kids who had no place else to go, had small houses clustered around dismal, sun-parched lawns.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Vocabulary lists containing dismal

100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know

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Take the Bad with the Good: Bene and Mal

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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 9

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!